Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Snoring Treatment With the ‘Tongue Pacemaker’

An estimated 60% of men and 40% of women will be habitual
snorers by the time they are 60 years old. For patients in need of snoring treatment, an
innovative solution could keep the tongue from blocking the airway, resulting
in a healthier night’s sleep for the patient and peaceful rest for those
nearby.

Nicknamed the “pacemaker for the tongue,” the hypoglossal
nerve stimulator was recently approved by the FDA. Once implanted inside of the
chest, the device monitors the patient’s breathing during sleep. If the tongue
begins to interfere with breathing, a gentle electric pulse stimulates the
tongue to move it out of the airway.

Doctors have praised the “pacemaker” as an improvement on
other surgical solutions for snoring and sleep apnea, which
permanently make the airways wider but also tend to have a long, often painful
recovery. However, surgery might be unnecessary for snoring treatment.

Nonsurgical snoring treatment options include:

Oral appliances that keep
the airway open at night

Lifestyle changes,
including a firmer mattress, altering your position while sleeping, and
reducing or avoiding alcohol

Modifying your sleep
habits by tying a tennis ball to your back – this will keep you from lying
on your back, which reduces the intensity of snoring

Losing excess weight and
keeping it off

Doctors are also enthusiastic about the hypoglossal nerve
stimulator because it could be an effective alternative to the continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. Though CPAP is the most common
treatment for sleep apnea and snoring, many patients find wearing a cumbersome
mask too uncomfortable to do overnight every night.

For more information on non-invasive snoring treatment,
please contact a local sleep
specialist or call 1 (866) 727-6275
(1-8-NO-PAP-MASK) today for a
consultation.